The Force not with Darth Vader, barred from Ukraine's presidential race

By
Euronews

Scores of supporters of a presidential hopeful who calls himself “Darth Vader” massed outside of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission (CEC), where the Star Wars villain’s candidacy was rejected by election officials.

Dressed like the characters from the popular movie series, supporters chanted “Vader” for their candidate to emerge from the building.

Darth Vader is not being allowed to stand in May’s election, according to Ukrainian media because his real identity can’t be verified.

A pity, given what the Star Wars villain was promising.

“Our main task is to return Crimea in three days,” said the masked villain clad in black. Gesticulating with his left finger, he went on: “I have one little tiny thing, tiny thing, which (Russian President Vladimir) Putin needs. And in return he will give us Crimea.”

Vader would have represented the Internet Party of Ukraine which says it is about more than theatrical stunts.

“The Internet Party of Ukraine decided to submit a robot as a candidate. A robot has never been in power before. A robot is more decent; it doesn’t support corruption, it doesn’t corrode. According to all internet polls Darth Vader leads the pre-election campaign. That’s why he’s not been registered by the Central Electoral Commission. They are afraid of him,” said the party leader, Dmitry Golubov.

In the election on May 25, confectionery oligarch Petro Poroshenko – who is sometimes called the “chocolate king” – will face former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and Party of the Regions representative Mykhaylo Dobkin, among others.

With Vader out of the race, one of these rather more conventional characters will likely become president – should the Force be with them.